


Operation Birthday Party

by Epiphanyx7



Category: Captain America (2011), The Avengers (2012), The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: Fluff, Gen, I Don't Even Know, I have No Excuse, Just Blame Youtube Videos For This, No Spoilers, Reunions, Schmoop, Surprises
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-10
Updated: 2012-04-10
Packaged: 2017-11-03 09:33:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/379940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Epiphanyx7/pseuds/Epiphanyx7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Go Time!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation Birthday Party

**Author's Note:**

> UGH I hate naming stories.

“Are you sure you can do this alone?” Tony asks, voice distorted by the Iron Man suit.

Steve pulls his cowl over his face, twisting his neck from side to side so it settles comfortably in place. “It’ll be fine, Tony,” he says. “I can do this.”

“I know you can,” Tony replies. “But you know we’d come with you -- just ask, buddy, and we’ll be there.”

“I can do it,” Steve insists. He hefts his shield, the familiar weight settling onto his left arm with the ease of practice. “I promise I’ll call if I need backup,” he adds, just so that he can see the subtle shift in the armor, the way Tony relaxes almost imperceptibly.

Right. Okay. He can do this.

He throws his shoulders back, strides out of the van with the confidence he doesn’t really feel in the pit of his stomach. Behind him, Staff Sergeant Kiernan looks as nauseatingly nervous as Steve feels. “It’ll be fine, soldier,” he says, and somehow it comes out in the Captain America voice, firm, solid, like an announcement or an edict.

Staff Sergeant Kiernan looks moderately relieved.

They approach the target from the side, moving quietly, low to the ground to avoid being seen. Steve is comfortable in his role here, he’s Captain America, so he quickly checks the entrance to make sure it’s been prepped for their arrival.

It has.

They enter the building, and Steve waves Kiernan ahead to navigate through to the other side. It takes a few seconds, ducking low to avoid being seen through the windows, and then Kiernan stands by the last door and nods at Steve.

Go time.

Steve takes a deep breath, then pulls the door open hard, letting it strike the wall, and strides through, shield high.

\--

“I’m looking for a young man named Franklin,” he shouts, and for a brief moment there’s silence while the group takes in his appearance.

And then there is absolute pandemonium, like a wave of sound that has an almost physical presence, and Steve’s a little grateful for the cowl and the way they’ve designed sound suppressors over his ears, because ow, ow, _ow._

“I’m Franklin!” a little boy pipes up, and he is probably the smallest six-year-old Steve has ever seen. The rest of the children at the birthday party are screaming, clamoring for Captain America’s attention, but Steve only nods and smiles at them, wading his way through the mass of children until he arrives at Franklin’s side.

The kid has dark hair and brown eyes and ears that stick out from his head at an extremely prominent angle, freckles scattered over his cheekbones. Steve drops to one knee in front of him, the edge of his shield resting on the ground. “Hello, Franklin,” he says, and the kids get quiet as they try to listen in.

“Hi,” Franklin breathes, wide-eyed.

“Do you know who I am, mister?” Steve asks.

“You’re Captain America,” Franklin says, and Steve smiles. Franklin is dressed as Captain America, complete with tiny plastic shield that has been discarded several feet behind him, but the costume is surprisingly accurate for all of that. The rest of the children at the party are dressed in various amounts of Avengers merchandise, although none of them have gone to the point of a full-out costume.

“That’s right, Franklin. I’m Captain America.” Steve says, still using his official business voice. “And I’m here because your dad said that you were a big fan of mine.”

It’s probably not possible to look any more star-struck, but Franklin seems to be giving it a good try. “You know my dad?” He squeaks, and Steve is struck with a sudden urge to hug him.

He doesn’t, though, because he’s not being Steve Rogers right now, he’s being Captain America, and so he stands up, offering the kid his hand. “That’s right, buddy, I know your dad. Matt’s a friend of mine.”

Franklin takes his hand, his eyes still extra-wide and a big, goofy smile on his face. “You’re friends with my dad? That’s so cool, I didn’t know my dad knew Captain America!”

Steve laughs, he can’t help it. “Well he told me that it was your birthday, and he wanted to do something special for you, so here I am,” he says, grinning, and Franklin makes a delighted noise and throws himself bodily into Steve’s arms. Steve hugs him back, grin still firmly in place, and then picks the kid up, easily carrying him back towards the porch where he’d entered.

“This is so cool!” Franklin enthuses, and Steve nods.

“What’s better is I have something for you. A present from your dad.”

“A present? What is it?” Franklin demands.

Steve puts him down on the porch, ruffling the little boy’s hair as he stands back up. “It’s right here, little man,” he says.

Staff Sergeant Kiernan steps out the door.

Franklin freezes, jaw dropping open. He stares at the Staff Sergeant in the doorway, then at Steve dressed in his Captain America regalia, then back to the doorway. “Daddy?” he whispers.

Then they’re hugging and crying, Franklin’s face pressed up against Kiernan’s neck, and Kiernan’s face is a mess of tears but Steve isn’t about to judge him when he hasn’t seen his kid in _months._

“Matt!” A dark-haired woman throws herself at the returning soldier, laughing, and Kiernan catches her around the waist, standing up to hug her as well. He doesn’t seem to want to let go of Franklin, though, so they manage to settle on lifting the little boy up to join them, laughing and hugging and kissing each other as if it’s the happiest moment of their lives.

Steve is a little bit jealous.

“This is the best birthday _ever_ ,” Franklin proclaims, tears still running down his face. “Thank you, Captain America, thank you so much, you’re my _favourite_ ever.”

Steve ruffles his hair, says, “No problem, big guy,” and then goes to entertain the rest of the children so Matt can reacquaint himself with his family.

\--

“Tony,” he hisses into his communicator two minutes later. “Iron Man, I need backup!”

**Author's Note:**

> I started watching videos of military reuinions on youtube, and this is what happened. I'm not sorry.


End file.
